Quite a Pair
by SineTimore
Summary: Castle thinks he's won the battle but Beckett usually gets her way. This time, it's no different. *two-shot, now complete*
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** This is not that.

**AN:** Once again, thanks to my shower this evening for the random idea. This was going to be a one-shot but I'd like to watch some trashy television tonight so I'm going to pause and make it a two-shot. As always, I appreciate those of you who stop by so very much. My world is a bit happier with you in it.

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_**Quite a Pair**_

The boxes are stacked like a brick mason's custom wall, the colors and shapes complementing each other with marked symmetry. He doesn't see her anywhere as he approaches with the tray of fresh fruit and iced tea and he feels his insides flutter with boyish excitement. He places the tray down stealthily on the dresser, unaware of how much time he'll be afforded to take advantage of this opportunity. His head darts around the room quickly in surveillance as he tiptoes behind the configuration and squats to the floor with a grin.

He's counting the plethora of boxes when he finally hears the glide of her bare feet across the floor. When the noise stops directly in front of his position on the opposite side of the wall, he embraces the fortuity of the moment and makes his move. "Hey, Imelda!" he shouts, as he pops up like a jester out of a jack-in-the-box.

"Geez, Castle!" she barks, nearly losing her balance from the shock. "You scared the crap out of me! What the hell are you doing back there?" The color begins to return to her face as she runs a now trembling hand through her loose hair, the other resting in a clenched fist against her waist. She's not at all amused. But she can tell that he most certainly is.

"Well, um, I'm a guy so I'm hiding in a fort. And, from the looks of it, I have you to thank, Detective." He smiles at her with utmost sincerity. She hates it when he does that. She can't stay annoyed with him when he does that. "Now tell me, what does one woman need with all of these shoes, hmmm?"

"That's a bit like asking a guy what he needs with _five_ game systems, Castle," she retorts through crooked eyebrow. "Can you explain that one to me, hmmm?" She bites her lower lip in wait for the clever answer that never does arrive. "That's what I thought," she sneers, breaking the silence emitting from his slack mouth. "I guess there are just some things that men and women will never understand."

"What I don't understand is how we're going to fit all of these in the closet," he mumbles, as he moves to step around the boxes and back into reality.

"I'm sorry, what was that, Castle?" she inquires, grabbing his forearm as he passes en route to the tray of snacks he came in with. "You think I need to get rid of some of these, do you?"

They stand together and take in the wall, each admiring it for a different reason.

"I mean, I just find it hard to believe that you wear _all_ of these shoes, that's all. And, maybe, for the sake of my poor, unsuspecting clothes in that closet, you might consider parting with some of them… maybe-possibly-might," he stammers, taking notice of her expression of discontent.

"Okay, Castle, why don't you help me decide, then, which pairs I should part with," she suggests, looking deliberately but nonchalantly for a particular box.

"Great, yeah, I'd love to help," he agrees enthusiastically, trying to hold the I-just-got-my-way smile inside for fear of reprimand. He relocates to the bed and parks himself on the edge, smug and ready for battle.

A battle he has no idea that he'll soon lose.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I repeat, this is not that.

**AN:** Enjoy your Friday and your weekend, one and all.

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_**Quite a Pair**_ – chapter 2

With care and precision, she locates and removes her first box, a most carefully chosen box, from its position in the wall. While its size immediately captures his attention, it's the apparent weight of it in her arms that notably stirs his curiosity. "What are those?" he asks eagerly, as she parades the gold lace-embossed package past his wide eyes and places it on the bed.

"These, Castle," she explains, as she flips the top with a taunting lack of haste, "are potentially your closet's first victim."

He hears the rustle of tissue paper through her fingers but his view is obstructed by the lid which stands on its end. She hums with audible pleasure as she removes one of the boots and holds it up for him to take in. It appears nearly as long as her mile-high legs, the impossibly slender metal heel set off against the black of the leather. The zipper runs the length and he can only sit and imagine what it must be like to watch her secure herself in them before going…god knows where. "I, um…" he croaks, his voice cracking like an adolescent's, "I really must know where you went wearing _those _and, more importantly, are there pictures?"

"I take that to mean you like these, Castle?" she smirks. "We can add them to the _Safe_ pile then?" She places the boot back into the box, closes it, and sets it down, beginning a new wall on the opposite side of the room. "Remember when I told you that I had visited some pretty crazy clubs in my day? Well, those were along for the ride."

"Yes, my imagination and I like those _very_ much. Also, mental note that we need to go out to clubs more. What's next?" he asks with fervor.

"You sure you want to waste your time helping me with this, Castle? I'm sure you have some writing to do or-"

"That's okay!" he interrupts. "I mean, no, thank you, I don't have any prior commitments at this time. Let's continue, shall we?"

This really is too easy.

She reaches for the next box which is smaller in size but no less ornate than the last. It's deep purple in color and, to him, it already looks like a present; her calculated selection, of course, because she knows him all too well. She keeps the box in hand and pulls it open. "Yeah, I'm not sure about these, Castle. They might be a bit too flashy," she remarks, feigning disappointment.

"Well, bring them over here so that I can see them," he implores.

She swallows her grin and steps towards him, one red patent peep-toe pump dangling from her crooked finger. He reaches his hand out to take it from her but she pulls it away. "Unh-uh, Castle, we see with our eyes, not with our hands."

"But…I…fine," he huffs. "Honestly, Detective, if by 'too flashy' you're implying that you shouldn't wear those for anyone but me, I will agree with you. You should definitely wear those for me – soon…or now, if possible. Keep!" he exclaims.

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Nearly an hour later, over to wall number two she continues to go. Again and again. Box by box. So far, only one pair of shoes has made it to the _Toss_ pile and that's because it was missing a heel. By the time they'd come upon it, he was already far too overwhelmed to even ask what had happened. She pauses momentarily and pours them each a glass of iced tea. He looks as though he needs it.

"Here, drink this," she insists, handing him the glass. "You have to stay hydrated. We still have a lot of boxes to go through." But she can already tell that this is over.

He looks side to side, to each wall, now a _His_ and a _Hers, _and releases a small sigh. "Wow, I really didn't think it would go this way when we started. I thought for sure that I was going to win."

"Win, Castle? This wasn't supposed to be a game. This was supposed to be my clothes and your clothes beginning their new relationship in _our_ closet." She takes a seat beside him on the bed, their thighs pressed against each other lightly. "I know this must be hard for you," she says, sounding sympathetic.

"What must be hard?" he asks confused.

"Having to face the fact that you have a women's shoe fetish," she giggles. "I think you've grown more attached to those black stilettos in the last hour than I have in five years of wear."

"Hey, in my defense, you included those in a story involving the words 'teddy' and 'camera' so I blame you for setting us up." Setting his glass down on the floor, he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her into his lap. "This could actually be kinda fun, you know. Now that we have two mini forts, there are a bunch of games that we could play. Ooo, maybe I can scale your wall and bring you back to my land. And maybe you just happen to be wearing a certain pair of-"

She cuts him off with a kiss. "So, Castle," she whispers, dropping her mouth to his neck and biting lightly, "now that it looks like I'll be keeping all of my shoes, what do you say we start on my jackets? I feel like I'm on a roll."

"More…leather?" he gulps.


End file.
